Michael Groth

Michael E. Groth

"Wells is an amazing place to teach as well as to learn. Faculty members expect much
from their students, but students in turn demand much from their faculty. Small classes
allow students to do intensive critical reading, engage in intellectually rigorous
class discussion, and conduct intensive original research and writing."

Professor Groth's interests lie in general U.S. history, African American history,
and New York State history. In addition, he performs research in race, ethnicity,
and immigration studies. For him, history is not the rote memorization of facts and
dates, but the critical interpretation of evidence to compose a compelling narrative
that gives meaning to the human experience. According to Professor Groth, history
is vital to a sense of personal and collective identity. He believes that we must
attempt to interpret the past if we are to understand where we are and where we are
going.